Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105996

Richard Crosby, PhD, MA, Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, College of Public Health at the University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Ave., Lexington, KY 40506-0003, 859-257-5678, crosby@uky.edu and Fredrick Danner, PhD, College of Education, University of Kentucky, 121 Washinton Ave., Lexington, KY 40506.

Objectives: To test three measures assessed during the teen years (virginity status, believe that condom use is hassle, and school grade point average) as predictors of laboratory-confirmed STD acquisition in early adulthood. Methods: Data from Wave 1 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were utilized. A first-catch urine specimen was assayed for C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae, and T. vaginalis. Laboratory-confirmed prevalence of non-viral sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was regressed upon the three measures assessed at Wave 1, while controlling for age, biological sex, and minority status. Because the sample was very large (N = 6,722) alpha was set at .01 to protect against type 1 error. Results: In Wave 3, 444 young adults (about 6%) tested positive for at least one of the assessed STDs. Controlling for the demographic variables, those indicating virgin status as teens were significantly more likely to have an STD (P<.001). Also, belief that condom use is a hassle was directly associated with STD prevalence (P<.001) and grade point average was inversely associated with STD prevalence (P=.005). Conclusions: Findings suggest that teens who delay age of first intercourse and have higher grades in school may establish a pattern of sexual behavior that is protective against STD acquisition as adults. Similarly, those who do not report that "condom use is a hassle" during the teen years may establish STD protective behaviors that last into young adulthood.

Learning Objectives:

• Audience members will be able to identify potential implications of the study findings to the design of intervention programs.

Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Infectious Diseases

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.